Rudder and brake for airplanes



April 21, 1931. co 1,802,238

RUDDER AND BRAKE FOR AIRPLANES Filed Nov. 23, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet l I; 3I; 6 (3 I; 33 x 's n x m u 0 1 m Q ioimioi g V .fliLfi'ozart INVENTORATTORNEY 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY M. L. COZART RUDDER ANDBRAKE FOR AIRPLANES Filed Nov.

April 21, 1931.

V Mildozart April 21, 1931. M. L. COZART 1,302,233

RUDDER AND BRAKE FOR AIRPLANES I Filed NOV. 25, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 M.L. dozart INVENTOR ATTORNEY Liv Patented Apr. 21, 1931 UNITED STATESMARVIN L. COZART, or cononeno srnrnes, COLORADO RUBBER AND BRAKE FORAIBPLANES Application filed November 23, 1928. Serial No. 821,391.

This invention relates to combined rudders and brakes, especiallyadapted for use upon airplanes, an object being'to provide device whichwill normally function as a rudder, and which may also serve to retardmovement of the airplane and thus act as a brake.

Another object of the invention is the provision of selective meansarranged conven ient to the pilot of the airplane, whereby the devicemay be operated to direct the course of flight or operated to retardforward progress of the airplane.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention further includesthe following novel features and details of construction, to behereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings v Figure 1 is a side elevation of an airplaneillustrating the invention, parts being broken away.

Figure 2 is a top plan view with parts broken away.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan view showing the invention used as abrake.

Figure 4 is a like view showing the invention used as a rudder.

. Figure 5 is a rear elevation of the invention arranged as shown inFigure 4.

Figure 6 is a detail elevation of one of the selective operatingmembers.

Figure 7 is a side view of the same.

Figure 8 is an elevation of a modified form of operating member.

Figure 9 is an elevation of a further form.

Referring to the drawings in detail wherein like characters of referencedenote correspon'ding parts, the reference character 10 indicates thefuselage of an airplane having a vertically controlled rudder 11 andarudder 12 for controlling the horizontal direction of flight.

The rudder 12 is of novel construction and comprises a pair of movablemembers or blades 13 which are hingedly mounted as shown at 14 and arecapable of simultaneous movement in the same direction, or ofsimultaneous movement in opposite directions.

The blades 13 are normally held in close I parallel relation by means ofrods 15 which are hingedly connected as shown at 16 and which extendthrough the blades and have mounted thereon springs 17. These springsact to yieldingly force the blades relatively inward or toward oneanother.

Extending fro-m each blade 13 is an arm 18 whose inner end is secured tothe blade, while braces 19 act to stabilize the arm. Secured to theouter ends of the arms 18 are cables 20 and these cables are alsosecured to operating members 21 which are pivotally m0unted as shown at22. These operating members are shown in Figures 6 and 7 of the drawingsandconsists of pivotally mounted frames arranged to provide foot pedalsand as a cable 20 is provided for each of the blades 13,21. foot pedal21 is provided for each cable so that the blades may be independentlyoperated.

in addition, the blades 13 have secured thereto cables 23. Theselastmentioned ca- (bles are secured to the faces of the blades opposite thearms 18 and the cable of one blade extends through'a guide opening 24provided in the other blade, the cables being crossed as shown in Figure3 of the drawings. The cables 23 are connected to operating members 25which are also in the form of pivotally mounted frames and may bearranged within the frames 21 as shown in Figure 6 of the drawings. Asshown in Figure 2, these frames are arranged in pairs and in the form ofpedals to be operated by the aviator. They are yieldingly maintained inposition by means of springs 26.

Normally, the blades are arranged in close parallel relation as shown inFigure 2 of the drawings, bumpers 27 serving to keep the blades parallelunder the action of the springs 17. When it is desired to use the ladesas a rudder, one of the frames or pedals 21 may be operated so as tomove the blades simultaneously in the same direction as shown in Figure4. By operating both of the pedals 25 simultaneously, a pull will beexerted upon the cables 23 so that the blades 13 will be movedsimultaneously in opposite directions as shown in Figure 3 and will thenact as a brake to retard the forward movement of the airplane.

If desired, the operating member or pedals may be mounted upon a rod 28positioned above the floor of the cock pit of the airplane and maydepend therefrom as shown at 21a and 25a in Figure 8, or the pedals 21bmay be suspended from an elevated rod 29 while the pedals 2512 may bemounted upon a rod 10 30 ar anged along the floor of the cockpit.

The invention is susceptible of various changes in its form, proportionsand minor details of construction and the right is herein reserved tomake such changes as properly I fall within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having described the invention what is claimed is:

1. A combined rudder and brake for airplanes including a fuselage and anelevator 20 having a cut-out portion, a pair of hinged and verticallydisposed rudders mounted on the fuselage within the cut-out portion ofthe elevator, pivotally connected rods slidable through the rudders withthe pivot dis- 25 posed between the rudders and having their free endsheaded, expansion springs on said rods between the headed ends and therudders to normally urge said rudders together, means to move saidrudders simultaneously 0 in either direction to cause the rudders to actas a single rudder, and means to'move said rudders against the tensionof the springs in opposite directions to act as a brake.

all 2. A combined rudder and brake for airplanes including a fuselageand an elevator having a cut-out portion, a pair of hinged andvertically disposed rudders mounted on the fuselage within the cut-outportion of t the elevator, pivotally connected rods slidable through therudders with the pivot disposed between the rudders and having theirfree ends headed, expansion springs on said rods between the headed endsand the rudders to normally urge said rudders together,

oppositely disposed arms secured to said rudders. operating cablesconnected to the arms,

and a pair of operating cables each extending through a rudder andcrossed and se- Ln cured to the opposite rudder from the one they extendthrough.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

MARVIN L. COZART.

